Multiple-person walking simulator

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to walking simulators. In one embodiment of the present invention, the walking simulator includes a support frame, a handlebar, and a pair of swing arms. Each swing arm is pivotally-mounted to the support frame and includes a foot pedal proximal to the distal end of the swing arm. A user can place one foot on each foot pedal and grasp the handlebar. The user can alternately swing one swing arm in front of the other to simulate a walking motion through muscle contractions in the hip muscles and various other muscle groups.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of exercise equipment, and, in particular, to a walking simulator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many people strive to maintain, or even increase, their fitness level by regularly exercising. Regular exercise can improve fitness in a variety of ways, including improving cardiovascular health, strength, and balance and flexibility. Some people buy gym memberships so they can exercise at a gym. Many gyms contain exercise equipment with smooth motions and consistent resistances that can be used to improve fitness in various muscle groups. However, a gym membership can be expensive, and gyms can be crowded during popular workout times, making workouts slow and time-consuming. Blaring music, pushy trainers, and supplement salespeople can also be annoying to some users. Additionally, competitive and intense users can be intimidating to beginners and casual users. Gyms may be inconveniently located, may have inadequate parking, or may maintain hours of operation that conflict with a busy work, or school, schedule.

Some people, instead, opt to exercise at home using home exercise equipment, which can provide a convenient, low-cost, small-scale alternative to gyms. However, low-cost, small-scale home exercise equipment can be difficult and uncomfortable to use and often does not provide a user with the same level of smooth motions and consistent resistances that a user may find with larger-scale commercial exercise equipment found in gyms. Additionally, low-cost, small-scale home exercise equipment may not efficiently exercise various muscle groups, and may fail to exercise certain muscle groups altogether. People exercising at home can also be distracted by many different types of commonly-occurring events, including telephones ringing, pets and/or roommates needing attention, and people knocking on the door.

Increasing hip fitness is a common goal of many users. The hip muscles and joints can be exercised in a number of different ways. One way to enhance hip fitness is by running, or walking briskly, over long distances. However, sometimes long-distance and/or high-speed running and walking is difficult or impossible, due to a geographical hindrance, or some other locational problem. Additionally, running and walking may be too stressful or jarring for some people to adequately accomplish fitness goals without unduly enduring pain and risking injury. Some gyms may have electronic-based exercise equipment, such as treadmills and other fitness equipment, that simulate low-impact running or walking. However, due to price and electronic-supply constraints, many treadmills and low-impact running or walking exercise equipment are confined to high-priced gyms. People who are interested in staying fit have, therefore, recognized a need for a way to promote hip fitness without visiting a gym, purchasing low-cost, small-scale home exercise equipment, or engaging in high-impact, long-distance and/or high-speed running or walking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an indoor/outdoor, multiple-person walking simulator that one or more users can simultaneously use in order to exercise. In one embodiment of the present invention, the multiple-person walking simulator includes a support frame, a handlebar, and two exercise stations. Each exercise station includes a pair of swing arms. Each swing arm includes a proximal end that is pivotally-mounted to the support frame and a distal end that interconnects to a foot pedal. A user can place one foot on each foot pedal and grasp the handlebar. The user can alternately swing one swing arm in front of the other to simulate a walking or jogging motion through muscle contractions in the hip muscles and various other muscle groups.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a two-person walking simulator that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a user using the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of a swing arm for the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A shows a close-up view of an anchoring mechanism for the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7B shows a close-up view of a cement block anchoring the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a one-person walking simulator that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a top view of the one-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 8 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows three concrete blocks anchoring the one-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 8 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a one-person walking simulator with an alternate support frame that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows a top view of the one-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 10 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a three-person walking simulator that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows a front view of the three-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 13 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows a top view of the three-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 13 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16A shows a rear perspective view of a walking simulator and an elliptical trainer mounted to a support frame that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16B shows a front perspective view of a walking simulator and an elliptical trainer mounted to a support frame that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an indoor/outdoor, multiple-person walking simulator for exercising hip muscles and joints and improving cardiovascular fitness. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a two-person walking simulator that represents one embodiment of the present invention. The two-person walking simulator 100 includes a support frame 101, a handlebar 102, and two exercise stations 103 and 104. Exercise station 103 includes two swing arms 105 and 106. Similarly, exercise station 104 includes two swing arms 107 and 108. Support frame 101 further includes three vertical support posts 110-112 and a horizontal base 113. The horizontal base 113 includes two side horizontal base bars 114 and 115, a middle horizontal base bar 116, a front horizontal base bar 118, and a rear horizontal base bar 120. Six support bars 122-127 interconnect the three vertical support posts 110-112 to the horizontal base 113.

Pivots 134-137 interconnect the top end of each swing arm 105-108, respectively, to the vertical support posts 110-112. Foot pedals 129 and 130 are interconnected with the distal end of the swing arms 105 and 106, respectively. Similarly, foot pedals 131 and 132 are interconnected with the distal end of the swing arms 107 and 108, respectively. The swing arms 105-108 are shorter in length than the vertical support posts 110-112 so that, when the horizontal base 113 of the two-person walking simulator 100 is placed on a flat surface, the swing arms 105-108 can swing back and forth without contacting the ground, the front horizontal base bar 118, or the rear horizontal base bar 120.

FIG. 2 shows a user using the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, a user 202 is shown standing on foot pedals 129 and 130 and grasping handlebar 102 to hold her upper body motionless. A simulated walking gait can be achieved by simultaneously swinging the swing arms 105 and 106 in opposite directions by hip rotation and by pushing forward on one of the two foot pedals 129 and 130 while pushing backwards on the other foot pedal 129 and 130. In FIG. 2, the user 202 is rotating her hips clockwise and pushing forward on the foot pedal 129 while pushing backward on the foot pedal 130. Pushing forward on the foot pedal 129 causes the swing arm 105 to swing forward, pivoting at the pivot 134. Conversely, pushing backward on the foot pedal 130 causes the swing arm 106 to swing backward, pivoting at the pivot 135. By regularly alternating pushing forward and backward on the foot pedals 129 and 130, the user 202 can raise her heart rate for a period of time to promote cardiovascular fitness and can simultaneously strengthen hip and leg muscles and improve flexibility, balance, and coordination. Two users can simultaneously exercise on the two-person walking simulator 100 because the two-person walking simulator 100 contains two exercise stations 102 and 103.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of a swing arm for the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. The foot pedal 132 includes a toe plate 302 extending upward from the proximity of the front of the foot pedal 132. The toe plate 302 can be used to partially secure a user's right foot and ameliorate foot slippage in the roughly-forward direction during use of the two-person walking simulator 100. The foot pedal 132 is interconnected to the swing arm 107 via a support block 304.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. The swing arms 105-108 are interconnected to the vertical support posts 110-112 by the pivots 134-137, respectively. In one embodiment of the present invention, each pivot 134-137 includes a frictionless bearing (not shown in FIG. 4), located inside the top portion of the appropriate swing arm 105-108, that mates with a horizontal bar (not shown in FIG. 4) extending from the corresponding vertical support post 110-112. In FIG. 4, the pivots 134-137 are shown covered by pivot caps 402-405, respectively, to conceal and protect the frictionless bearing (not shown in FIG. 4) from various environmental elements, such as moisture build-up and debris accumulation, and also to reduce possible injury caused by a user contacting an outwardly-projecting horizontal bar (not shown in FIG. 4).

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the handlebar 102 is shown directly connected to the vertical support post 110. For example, the handlebar 102 can be welded, bolted, or glued directly to the vertical support post 110. Beneath the handlebar 102, at the handlebar/vertical-support-post junction 502, is a triangular-shaped support web 504. The support web 504 reduces mechanical stress at the handlebar/vertical-support-post junction 502 and is used in lieu of a more conventional rod-shaped support in order to eliminate the risk of getting a head or limb trapped between the handlebar 102, the vertical support post 110, and a rod-shaped support.

The top portions of the support bars 122 and 123 are interconnected to the vertical support post 110 and the bottom portions of the support bars 122 and 123 are interconnected to the horizontal base 113 in the proximity of the side-horizontal-base-bar/front-horizontal-base-bar junction 506 and the side-horizontal-base-bar/rear-horizontal-base-bar junction 508. The support bars 122 and 123 provide lateral stability to the two-person walking simulator 100. The vertical support post 110 also includes a dome-shaped cap 504 enclosing the top of the vertical support post 110 to provide protection from various environmental elements, such as moisture build-up and debris accumulation, inside the vertical support post 110, and to provide an aesthetically-pleasing look.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. Four flat bars 602-605 interconnect the side horizontal base bars 114 and 115 to the front horizontal base bar 118 and the rear horizontal base bar 120 in the proximity to the side-horizontal-base-bar/front-horizontal-base-bar junctions 506 and 506′ and side-horizontal-base-bar/rear-horizontal-base-bar junctions 508 and 508′. The flat bars 602-605 each include a vertically-facing mounting aperture 606-609, respectively. The mounting apertures 606-609 can be used as part of a mounting mechanism for attaching the two-person walking simulator 100 to the ground.

The support frame for the two-person walking simulator, described above with reference to FIGS. 1-6, allows the two-person walking simulator to be self-standing. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, the two-person walking simulator can be anchored to the ground when, for example, theft prevention is a concern, or when additional stability is desired during a particularly strenuous exercise session. FIG. 7A shows a close-up view of an anchoring mechanism for the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7A, the flat bar 605 is shown with an L-shaped bolt 702 passing through the mounting aperture 609. The lower portion of the L-shaped bolt 702 can be secured, for example, by being placed into a curing cement block, or other shaped cement footing, with a threaded locking nut 704 screwed onto the threaded portion of the L-shaped bolt 702, above the flat bar 605. FIG. 7B shows a close-up view of a cement block anchoring the two-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 1 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7B, the L-shaped bolt 702 is placed in a cement block 708. The L-shaped bolt 702 can be placed in the cement block 708 while the cement block 708 is still curing. Once the cement block 708 is cured and the locking nut 704 is threaded onto the L-shaped bolt 702, the two-person walking simulator 100 is secured to the cement block 708. The cement block 708 can be poured underground with the top edge of the cement block 708 in the proximity of ground level. The same procedure can be performed with each of the flat bars 602-605 on the two-person walking simulator 100. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, a plastic covering (not shown in FIG. 7) can be placed over the locking nut 704 when attached to the L-shaped bolt 702 to reduce the risk of injury to a user caused by contacting the L-shaped-bolt/locking-nut assembly 706.

A support frame for a walking simulator can be manufactured with a single pair of swing arms to accommodate a single user. FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a one-person walking simulator that represents one embodiment of the present invention. One-person walking simulator 800 includes a support frame 802, a handlebar 804, and a pair of swing arms 806 and 807. The support frame 802 contains two vertical support posts 808 and 809 and a horizontal base 810. The horizontal base 810 includes side horizontal base bars 811 and 812 and a transverse horizontal base bar 813. Support bars 815-818 interconnect the vertical posts 808 and 809 with the horizontal base 810. Handlebar 804 directly attaches to the vertical support posts 808 and 809 and is mechanically supported by support webbings 820 and 821. FIG. 9 shows a top view of the one-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 8 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. The support blocks 902 and 903 connect the foot pedals 904 and 905 to the swing arms 806 and 807, respectively. Flat bars 908-911 extend horizontally inward from the proximity of the ends of the side horizontal base bars 811 and 812.

FIG. 10 shows three cement blocks anchoring the one-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 8 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. One-person walking simulator 800 is anchored to cement blocks 1002-1004 by the flat bars 908-911. L-shaped bolts, such as L-shaped bolt 1006, are placed in curing cement blocks and passed through mounting apertures (not shown in FIG. 10) in the flat bars 908-911. A threaded locking nut, such as locking nut 1008, is threaded onto the exposed portion of the L-shaped bolts, as discussed above with reference to FIGS. 7A-7B. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, a plastic covering can be placed over the exposed portion of the L-shaped-bolt/locking-nut assembly.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a one-person walking simulator with an alternate support frame that represents one embodiment of the present invention. One-person walking simulator 1100 includes a support frame 1102, a handlebar 1104, and a pair of swing arms 1106 and 1107. The support frame 1102 contains two vertical posts 1108 and 1109. The vertical posts 1108 and 1109 can be secured and protected from theft, for example, by being sunk into curing cement footings. The swing arms 1106 and 1107 are shorter in length than the vertical support posts 1108 and 1109 so that, when the vertical posts 1108 and 1109 are sunk into cement footings enough to support the one-person walking simulator 1100, the swing arms 1106 and 1107 can swing back and forth without contacting the ground.

The handlebar 1104 includes mounting cuffs 1110 and 1112 on either end. In one embodiment of the present invention, the vertical support posts 1108 and 1109 and the mounting cuffs 1110 and 1112 each include mounting apertures on two opposite positions through which a mounting bolt can be passed and locked with a locking nut. Mounting caps, such as mounting cap 1114, can be placed over the exposed ends of the mounting-bolt/locking-nut assembly. FIG. 12 shows a top view of the one-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 10 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

A support frame for a multiple-person walking simulator can be manufactured to include additional pairs of swing arms to allow additional users to simultaneously use a multiple-person walking simulator. FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a three-person walking simulator that represents one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 shows a front view of the three-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 13 that represents one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 shows a top view of the three-person walking simulator shown in FIG. 13 that represents one embodiment of the present invention.

A walking simulator can be used in combination with other pieces of cardiovascular exercise equipment. FIG. 16A shows a rear perspective view of a walking simulator and an elliptical trainer mounted to a support frame that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 16A, walking simulator 1602 and elliptical trainer 1604 are shown mounted to a common support frame 1606. FIG. 16B shows a front perspective view of a walking simulator and an elliptical trainer mounted to a support frame that represents one embodiment of the present invention. A spacer bar 1608 interconnects the side of the walking simulator support frame 802 with the side of the elliptical trainer support frame 1610.

The multiple-person walking simulators described above can be placed indoors and outdoors at a number of different locations, including private homes, yards, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, hotels, motels, resorts, cruise ships, commercial-building courtyards, parks, trails, recreation centers, community centers, residential and lifestyle communities, hospital grounds, out-patient clinics, golf courses, and other indoor and outdoor locations. The anchoring mechanisms described above, with reference to FIGS. 7A-7B and FIG. 10, allow various embodiments of the present invention to be securely anchored to the ground to reduce the risk of theft. Accordingly, various embodiments of the present invention can be placed in locations that lack constant and careful supervision. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, several abovementioned design elements have been described above that allow for outdoor placement of the present invention, including providing pivot caps on the pivots, as described above with reference to FIG. 4, and providing dome-shaped caps at the top of the vertical support posts, as described above with reference to FIG. 5. Additional design elements can be included to allow the present invention to be placed in outdoor locations, including using powder coated steel components to provide rust protection and using stainless steel nuts and bolts for assembly. In one embodiment of the present invention, there are no electronic components mounted to the walking simulator. Various embodiments of the present invention also provide safety features, including rounded edges, smooth surfaces, and rubber padding around various moving and non-moving parts.

Additional modifications within the spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, modifications of the positioning and shape of the handlebar can be made to improve comfort, location, safety, and ease of use. Multiple handlebars can be used to give users additional gripping options. Modification of the shape of the swing arms can be made to change the swing-arm movement. Foot pedals can directly connect with swing arms or can have additional interconnecting features. Various materials can be used to fabricate walking simulators, such as metals and composite materials. The resistance used in the swinging movement of the swing arms can be varied. Varied resistances can be incorporated into each different piece of exercise equipment within a multiple-person walking simulator by the manufacturer, distributor, and/or a user. Variations between the discussed embodiments of the present inventions can also be made. For example, multiple-person versions of the walking simulator can utilize the alternate support frame structure shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Additionally, multiple-person versions of the walking simulator can utilize a mounting cuff attachment mechanism, discussed with reference to FIG. 11, for attaching the handlebar to the support frame. The mounting cuffs can be designed to slide along the vertical support posts and be tightened to place the handlebar at a desired height. Additional flat bars can be attached to the support frame of a multiple-person walking simulator for anchoring the multiple-person walking simulator to the ground. Removable and non-removable devices can be attached to the support frame, such as water-bottle holders, book and magazine holders, towel holders, and radio/MP3-player holders. The foot pedals can be angled to change the gait used by a user. Angling the foot pedals can be accomplished in a number of different ways, such as bending and/or curving the swing arms and/or the support blocks.

The foregoing detailed description, for purposes of illustration, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description; they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variation are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

1. A multiple-person walking simulator for physical exercise, the multiple-person walking simulator comprising: a support frame; a handlebar interconnected to the support frame; and a number of exercise stations, each exercise station including a pair of swing arms, each swing arm having a proximal end pivotally mounted to the support frame and a distal end interconnected to a foot pedal.
 2. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 wherein the support frame further includes a number of vertical support posts.
 3. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 wherein the support frame further includes a horizontal base; and a number of support bars.
 4. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 3 wherein the horizontal base further includes one or more of a front horizontal front base bar; a rear horizontal base bar; a side horizontal base bar; a middle horizontal base bar; and a transverse horizontal base bar.
 5. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 further including a number of flat bars for anchoring the multiple-person walking simulator to the ground.
 6. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 5 wherein each flat bar includes a number of mounting apertures.
 7. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 6 wherein the multiple-person walking simulator can be anchored to a cement footing by partially sinking a bolt into the cement footing and passing the exposed portion of the bolt through the mounting aperture of one of the flat bars and tightening a locking nut onto the bolt.
 8. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 wherein the multiple-person walking simulator can be anchored to the ground by sinking a number of the vertical support posts into cement footings.
 9. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 wherein each foot pedal further includes a toe plate.
 10. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 wherein a support block interconnects each foot pedal to a swing arm.
 11. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 wherein the handlebar is interconnected to the support frame at a number of vertical support posts.
 12. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 11 wherein a number of support webbings interconnect the handlebar to the number of vertical support posts to provide mechanical support.
 13. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 11 wherein the handlebar includes a mounting cuff that can be tightened onto one or more of the vertical support posts to secure the handlebar in place.
 14. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 further including a number of pivot caps, each pivot cap placed over the a proximal end of a swing arm pivotally mounted to the support frame.
 15. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 2 further including a number of dome-shaped caps, each dome-shaped cap placed over the top end of a vertical support post.
 16. The multiple-person walking simulator of claim 1 interconnected to an elliptical trainer.
 17. A method for simulating walking, the method comprising: providing a multiple-person walking simulator, the multiple-person walking simulator including a support frame, a handlebar interconnected to the support frame, and a number of exercise stations, each exercise station including a first swing arm and a second swing arm, the first swing arm having a proximal end pivotally mounted to the support frame and a distal end interconnected to a first foot pedal, and the second swing arm having a proximal end pivotally mounted to the support frame and a distal end interconnected to a second foot pedal; placing a left foot on the first foot pedal and a right foot on the second foot pedal; grabbing the handlebar; repeatedly alternating hip rotations while pushing forward on either the first foot pedal or the second foot pedal while pushing backward on the other of the two foot pedals.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the support frame further includes a number of vertical support posts.
 19. The method of claim 17 further including a number of flat bars for anchoring the multiple-person walking simulator to the ground, each flat bar including a number of mounting apertures through which one or more bolts can be passed.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the multiple-person walking simulator can be anchored to a cement footing by partially sinking a bolt into the cement footing and passing the exposed portion of the bolt through the mounting aperture of one of the flat bars and tightening a locking nut onto the bolt. 